


Reality Check

by Warks1999



Series: Our Favourite Eejits [9]
Category: Derry Girls (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:34:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28115496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warks1999/pseuds/Warks1999
Summary: Mock exams could often bring up unexpected results. Joy for some and misery for others...Part 9 of Our Favourite Eejits
Relationships: James Maguire & Michelle Mallon, James Maguire/Erin Quinn
Series: Our Favourite Eejits [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2045833
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19





	1. Check

**Reality Check**

Chapter 1: Check 2nd February 1996

Mock exam results day.

A day which Michelle had spent the best part of the week moaning about. Unwilling to recognise it as anything other than an insignificant nuisance, she went on and on all week about how little she cared about. None of them decided to mention that for someone who didn't care about it, she spent a lot of time talking about it. That wouldn't be sensible; it was Michelle.

The whole run in to the mocks, the week of the mocks and the subsequent week up until that morning, being anywhere near Clare was unbearable. The total opposite to Michelle, Clare had fretted and stressed constantly. It was her who forced their revision on the weekend before the mocks, pulling an all nighter on the Friday in Erin's room. Her visit hadn't even been planned but at the end of her tether she went to Erin to try to calm down. Erin accepted the company that night but never intended for it to go beyond a couple of hours. The problem arose in trying to get Clare to leave and realising just how intense the studying was from her friend, influenced Erin's decision to let her stay. She didn't stay up with her though, lasting until about one in the morning when she crashed out in her bed. When she got up again at eight, Clare still had her nose into textbooks but with Orla and multiple empty cans of energy drinks by her side.

With the differing performances of ignorance and chaos around him, James's approach to the exams went fairly unnoticed. He spent the majority of his time trying to help Erin, who despite being the one to calm Clare, was not much better off when it came to stress. They'd adhered to all the rules around their relationship far more rigorously due to Erin's stress as she made it explicitly clear their studies came first. As much as James hated her not being receptive when he wanted to snog the face off her, he did understand her logic. Instead of his lips being her solace, it was his brain that did the work and all the way through he answered everything he could for her. That being said, he barely revised himself but was ice cold to all the others, nothing seemingly flapping him and if anything, Erin thought he was being arrogant. That morning would tell.

James's other problem came in the form of Mary. Ever since being found with the wooden spoon in his possession, he found himself in a never-ending debt with Erin's mother. Each time he would visit the house to see Erin or if they had homework to do, James would do the washing up and make any drinks that anyone wanted. Anything that Mary wanted, he would do at the drop of a hat and if the standard wasn't good enough, he'd do it again. The only reprieve would come if Gerry happened to be around and he would share the workload with the Englishman. After all, James was standing in his shoes. A man taken into the Quinn family didn't have it easy.

Not at all.

"Flanagan's fuckin' late". Michelle noted to them all in her uncaring state.

"I know! I can't take it!" Clare cried. "I'm sweatin' buckets here".

"Me too". Orla piped up. "Oliver won't think I'm worthy if I don't pass".

Orla caring about an exam was a new challenge for the gang to face and seeing her physically tremble about it became a concern. Not least for Erin, who would be dealing a lot more closely with the fallout upon Orla's disappointment. The decision was made that they would receive all of their results in the History class that morning, which inadvertently made Orla feel even more pressured. Her head shot up the fastest when the door opened and Mr Flanagan walked in with a cardboard box, no doubt carrying all their mock results. The nervous whispers began around the class and the teacher called for quiet for him to be able to address them.

"I know you are all nervous… excited… and perhaps worried about these results. They are very important but they will not define you. The mocks are there to be learnt from, identify the areas you need to work on. Don't be afraid of them".

A fair few students, Erin included, relaxed upon hearing the soothing tones and calming phrasing of their history teacher. He always seemed to know what to say and when to say it, experience Erin knew first-hand over every other pupil.

"Before I hand the results out though, I want you all to give one particular student in this group a round of applause…".

The already captivated class's attentions also focused on him, most secretly wishing to be the student in question. Apart from Michelle, who decided to look out of the window and watch a couple of pigeons have a fight in a tree. Or play with each other's holes. Michelle couldn't tell and she was no Ornithologist either, that was for certain.

"I think it would be fair to say we all know of her dedication to this topic and the mock paper that I marked is certainly the best piece of work on this topic I have ever read in all of my years as a teacher…".

James was ruled out, but his intuition told him exactly who the student was, and he was already looking at her. Not a single one of the other girls in the class was looking her way, but their dreams of being the one were hopeless; there was only one student who could do so well at this topic.

"… and the first paper I have ever marked and given full marks to. So please could you all give a round of applause to… Orla McCool".

A disbelieving class broke into a rapturous round of applause for their classmate. Orla could never be described as an academic, to the extent that Sister Michael once described her as the least suited child to school in all of human history, yet she'd produced an incredible performance on the historical figure that interested her the most. There were a few curses muttered, Michelle muttering one of them, but the class seemed genuinely pleased for Orla. She did not know how to respond to the love they were giving her and shuffled nervously before bursting out into tears. Erin immediately dived in to cuddle her cousin, Clare doing the same and soon James's comforting arms came around them all to form a huddle. Michelle awkwardly patted Orla's head, deliberately avoiding being tangled in the group hug. James frowned upon seeing her choice, but Mr Flanagan began speaking again before he could pull her up on the strange stance.

"Well done Orla".

"Thank ye Mr Flanagan". Orla sniffled a response as they removed themselves from the cocooned hug they had placed her in.

"Now, I'm going to hand these out. If you want to go outside to open them privately then please do so but it would do you good to talk about the results to each other too. Support each other. Remember, you all have the same goal".

One by one, Mr Flanagan began to distribute the mock results to each pupil. One or two went outside to open their results and the results appeared to be mixed judging by the reactions of each pupil.

Clare's worries were for nothing; she passed everything with flying colours with only a B in Science being a disappointment for her. The rest of her grades were either A or A* and she could finally breathe a sigh of relief as all of her stress and worry evaporated. Well, all of the stress and worry related to exams that was. It was Clare after all. Orla's History result would never be topped but the rest of her report card read a bleak picture, though Orla admitted to Clare that she drew pictures of various animals in the other papers and only actually attempted the History paper. The other results would do her no favours if they were to come true in the real exams but the 'all eggs in one basket' strategy could not be denied as perfect when it came to History.

James and Erin opened their results together, holding hands as they did. The moment Erin saw her result in Maths though, the subject she required his help with the most, his lips were assaulted. Surprised by her decision to kiss him in front of their History class, and an aggravated Michelle, he reciprocated the move. Mr Flanagan got involved to break them up and remind them of their surroundings but not without giving the two a friendly wink first. A rare wink that didn't cause an investigation. Like Clare, both James and Erin got a pass in every single subject. Their grades were almost equal with Erin scoring much higher in both English papers but James equally outperforming her in Maths and French.

Michelle didn't discuss hers. Mr Flanagan had watched her specifically and, seeing the reaction he anticipated, walked over to her desk and knelt down in front of it. She was still looking out of the window and was distant to the rest of the gang who were merrily celebrating their various achievements next to her.

"Michelle…".

"What?" Her voice sounded as distant as she appeared.

"I know what you must be feeling at the moment, but you might need this…"

"I've not opened them".

"Michelle…" He cautioned, noting the very clearly opened envelope on the table.

"I said I've not. I don't care. I'm not interested".

Tilting his head, Mr Flanagan succeeded in getting her eye contact and could see the emotion lying in wait in the depths of her eyes. Emotion that Michelle was covering with a feigned lack of interest.

"I think we both know that is not the case".

"I said I don't care sir. Just leave me alone".

The knowledge and experience of the wise History teacher led him to do as she asked, knowing it better for her to speak to him in her own time. His door would be always be open, something which every student in the class was told the day he arrived for his first lesson with them, and she may choose to eventually. But he was not the only person in the classroom to take note of Michelle's actions.

Joe's lessons were beginning to engrain themselves within James and the ability to not miss a trick when it came to the ones you cared for was one which Joe drummed into him. He would speak to Michelle at home that night.


	2. Mate

Chapter 2: Mate

Aunt Deidre waved James goodbye as she headed off to work for the evening shift at the hospital. Uncle Martin was already having to work over in Belfast and stay the night, not returning until the following morning. It left James and Michelle alone at the Mallon house. They'd been invited to the Quinn's to celebrate Orla's incredible result as well as Erin's very solid grades in all of the mocks, but Michelle declined the offer. Her distant behaviour was not unchecked by the group, Erin and Clare silently acknowledging with James how different she was to her normal self. When James too rejected the offer, Erin understood because one of them needed to find out what was wrong with Michelle and it made more sense James being the one as they lived in the same house. She would miss his presence by her side, but they knew there would be times when the needs of their friends would outweigh their own need for each other. This happened to be one of those times.

Michelle barely said a word to anyone on the bus journey home or the walk afterwards, Clare driving the conversation where the usually mouthy Michelle would gossip away. She continued to blank out everyone at home, only speaking to James to tell him to 'fuck off' when he tried to get the last biscuit in the tin before her. She blanked her mother too, but James was able to shoot Deidre a look to tell her not to explode at her in return for her ignorance. He was busying himself downstairs but when the time was right, he ambled on up in the direction of Michelle's room. Getting to the top stair, it was only then he realised the light sounds he'd heard all the way from the bottom stair were in fact Michelle's sobs. Michelle sobbing indicated a real problem. Tiptoeing gently to stand in front of her door, James lightly wrapped his knuckles on it.

"Michelle". He whispered. "Michelle!"

"Wh-What…"

"Can I come in?"

Expecting to receive a verbal barrage in return, the barely audible voice of Michelle allowed him in with a simple 'yes'. Slowly opening the door, he found Michelle sitting on her bed but with her head between her knees, not raising it once he shut the door behind him and keeping her face hidden. He didn't need to see it to tell she'd been crying profusely for some time and the positioning of a letter he knew gave him the final confirmation of what the issue was.

"Can I… look at it". James nervously spoke, leaning in to try and get her attention.

"So you can call me stupid. Yeah… catch yourself on".

"I won't call you stupid".

"Just fuck off James, alright!"

Michelle finally took her head out from between her knees and looked up to where James stood, her eyes burning red from where the tears had fallen. The usual venom was absent though. She didn't really want him to go at all and he knew that, so he continued to stand there, even sitting down at the bottom of her bed a few seconds later to emphasise his decision to stay.

"Fucking read it then. Go on. Mock me for being the stupid bitch that I am".

A brutally self-lacerating Michelle was not the Michelle he wanted to see. James knew her to be the exact opposite of that, and even if that meant taking the torrent of abuse often thrown his way by her, he would rather it stay like that than have a Michelle who lacked self-confidence. James picked up the exam scores report and unfurled the letter from where Michelle had folded it back over, feeling the drying patches where previous tears found their mark.

_Michelle Mallon._

_Maths Paper 1 – 45/100 – D_

_Maths Paper 2 48/100 – D_

_Religious Education 20/100 – U_

_French 21/100 – U_

_Geography 57/100 – D_

_History – 11/100 – U_

_Science – 35/100 – E_

_English Language – 45/100 – D_

_English Literature 8/100 – U_

_Irish – 65/100 – C_

James digested his cousin's results. If he was his mother's son then he would have found something hurtful to say, an 'I told you so' or an 'About right'. But James Maguire was not Kathy Maguire and instead he reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Her face did not light up like he had hoped but neither did she push him away. She just sat there, holding his hand and sniffling every few seconds.

"Just don't do this James". She mumbled.

"Do what?"

"Ye know… be you. Don't be kind to me, I deserve it. I'm a mouth and I have nothing to back it up… I'm no good… I'm dumb and…".

"Shut up Michelle".

If James had ever told her to shut up in the past, his head would have been in the Foyle seconds later with no questions asked. But he spoke in such a way that instead of ripping him to shreds, Michelle just laughed and kept laughing. That made James laugh too.

"I don't think you've ever told me to shut it before".

"I'd be lying if I said I've not been close to a few times in the past".

"Yer a good mate ye know that James". She smiled and shuffled up next to him. "I suppose I can see what Erin sees in ya".

The complimentary side of Michelle was a wonderful thing for James. Usually most of her comments about his relationship were Erin were negative although rarely in a derogatory sense. Pulling his hand out her grasp, he moved it to wrap around her shoulders and pull her into his side. Michelle sobbed slightly as she found herself snuggled into her cousin, tears that formed out of respect and thanks rather than sadness and humiliation.

"We'll help you". He said softly. "You know that we are here if you want help, don't be afraid to ask Michelle. We aren't going to judge you".

"I know. It's just I… don't know how to ye knew… focus".

"It's easy. I know you naturally want to relax and have fun but sometimes you have to… shift that energy elsewhere and there is more reward found in hard work than there is in a few shots".

The laughter some recommenced, and she swatted at his arm in a playful manner at the ridiculous suggestion that shots would be inferior to studying. But she knew he was right. The days of partying were over for Michelle. The exams were not that far around the corner and the mocks served as the reality check that she needed. Mr Flanagan was right in his assessment earlier that day; she would speak to him and apologise before assembly on Monday morning because he was only trying to reach through to her like James had. With the support of her friends guaranteed, whether it be the practical help of James, Erin and Clare or Orla's chaotically beautiful energy, she could do anything. She wasn't dumb. She was someone and she could conquer the exams.

And one last party wouldn't do any harm.

"We goin' to Erin's then or what". She flicked her head in the direction of the door.

"Welcome back Michelle".

Giving him one last hug, he was already ready over his yearly total if not further (Michelle was really pushing to boat out), they got up and made their way out of the house and over to Erin's. And later when they shared a group hug between the five of them, everything fell back into place for her and the threat of the exams felt just a little bit less frightening.

The threat of Mary Quinn and how she twirled the wooden spoon around in her hand like a showman would twirl a cane in a crowded circus tent, was not.

But only for James.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There won't be updates until the weekend (19/12) but there is a Part 10 coming! And if you look closely at the dates, a certain day in February is around the corner and will be the basis of Part 10...


End file.
